Choices
by Link015
Summary: Eliwood thought it was just a normal day until a letter came from his mother. What did the letter say? Well, let's just say Eliwood needs to find a wife...And there are just too many choices. [FINISHED]
1. Chapter 1: An Heir

Chris: Yes, another story. This time about Eliwood and his three brides-that-may-be. No, this is _not_ going in Do You Want My Help? for a couple of reasons. One, these are all canon couples. The ones in my romance archive are not, with a few exceptions. Also, I'm planning to have stories just like this highlighting all of the canon couples. So think of this as a volume in a big library of canon couple one-shots.

It'll be four chapters, with one to start it off, and one for each couple. Well, you'll get it sooner or later.

Disclaimer: Don't own Fire Emblem.

* * *

**Chapter 1: An Heir**

"Lord Eliwood!"

"Huh?" The red-haired lord turned and spotted Marcus running towards him. Eliwood paused and waiting for the veteran paladin to catch up. "What is it, Marcus?"

"I have received a missive from Lady Eleanora!" Marcus said, handing Eliwood a letter.

"What? From my mother?" Eliwood's eyes widened and he tore open the envelope and eagerly took out the letter. "I wonder what she said!"

"I have no clue, milord." This, of course, was a blatant lie, as Marcus had already opened the letter with the help of Matthew to see what the message was. And using his skills, Matthew was able to seal it up again, even mimicking the Pheraen house seal on the envelope. Sure, Marcus felt bad about his lie and about deceiving his lord, but the paladin felt that he should know whether or not anything bad had happened to the Lady.

"Oh no! Mother, mother! It's too early! We're trying to fight a war!" Eliwood's anguished moans sprung from his mouth. "I can't be thinking about marriage now! I mean, I'm supposed to be one of the leaders! It's not in my place to claim one of the girls as my own!"

"What's wrong, Lord Eliwood?" Marcus stood to the side like a good vassal, his hands clasped behind his back. His face was carefully arranged to show no emotion, but inside he was laughing. Not laughing like he was going to die, but laughing enough.

"My mother wants me to marry someone inside the army! She said that she saw some very pretty girls when we visited the castle and now she thinks I need to marry one of them!" Eliwood's hands trembled. "What am I going to do, Marcus? I can't disobey my mother but I really don't want to start trying to pick up one of the girls like Sain!"

"If I may voice a suggestion, milord?" Marcus said.

"Yeah, what is it, Marcus? Please tell me it's good." Eliwood looked pleadingly at the paladin, the letter stretched tight in his hands.

Now, Marcus also wanted his lord to marry and raise an heir so that the throne would not be passed to another family. While this might be selfish, Eliwood's father provided very well for him, and he didn't want anything to happen to his son. "Well, milord, maybe you mother has the right idea…"

"Marcus! How could you say such a thing?"

"Well, during my rounds in the camp, I've seen some of the girls looking at you. I'm sure it wouldn't be so bad to return some of their affections." Marcus stated.

"I don't know…Which girls?"

"Lyn, Ninian, and Fiora."

Eliwood scratched his chin. "Yes, yes, well…I can't go and disobey my mother's wishes. She's all I have left in my family." He let out a sigh. "Fine! You win, Marcus! Oh, and before you say anything, I know you looked at the letter beforehand." The lord walked off and tossed the letter to Marcus. "Oh, and tell Matthew that he really needs work with forging our family seal. Also tell him that Oswin is spying on him."

"Um…Yes, milord!" Marcus saluted and rushed off, probably to convey this news to the spy.

"Mother, mother, mother…Oooh….Even out here, you still want me to find a wife." Eliwood stuffed his hands inside his pockets and wandered off, his thoughts running wild in his head.

_---_

"Hey Eliwood! That was a nice training session earlier!" Lyn, a dark-green haired lord from Sacae, waved at Eliwood. "I never knew you were that strong!"

"Oh, thanks Lyn! You were pretty good too. I mean, it was hard for me to keep my eyes on you." Eliwood returned.

"Hehehe, thanks!" Lyn laughed. "How about another sparring session later today, huh?"

"Well, sure, why not?" Eliwood said.

"Thanks!" Lyn winked and walked off, whistling.

Eliwood watched her depart. Lyn, a lively, hot-headed woman from the plains of Sacae. Always ready with an idea, although she often carries the unwanted opinion that her idea is better than everyone else's. Sticks with her friends till the death and doesn't turn from whatever path she's chosen. Hence, she's really, really stubborn.

Eliwood scratched his head. He wondered if Marcus was right and that Lyn had feelings for him. The lord shook his head. He was getting way too deep about all of this. _'Curses! Now, out of all times, for me to have to do this!'_

He shook his head distractedly and looked at the sky, looking for some semblance of peace. Maybe unfortunately, he came across the figure of Fiora. He waved to the teal-haired pegasus knight and she waved back. Fiora steered her pegasus towards the ground and alighted next to Eliwood. She jumped off, saluting the lord.

"Hello, Lord Eliwood."

"Didn't I say for you to stop calling me lord?" Eliwood laughed. "It's embarrassing!"

Fiora flushed slightly. "Yes, you did. I'm really sorry, Lo-...Eliwood."

"Heh, that's okay Fiora. Don't worry. So, how are you doing?" Eliwood smiled.

"I'm doing fine, Eliwood. Thank you for asking."

"Why are you always so rigid? Don't you ever lighten up a little?" Eliwood said teasingly.

Fiora blushed. "Um…Well…I've got to go, Eliwood!" She dashed off.

Eliwood watched her, slightly amused. Fiora was completely different from Lyn. Strict, military, and accomplished, she believed highly in what was right and what was wrong. Respectful of those at a higher station, Fiora never forgot when something nice and kind was done for her or for her people. Of course, she was also rigid and wasn't prone to having lots of fun, but she did have her moments.

Eliwood shook his head to clear his thoughts and continued on his journey. He looked up to see the sky-haired dancer, Ninian, standing in front of him. She was twisting the edge of her shawl nervously and she blushed as she looked at him.

"H-Hi Eliwood." Ninian murmured and she looked at him with her blood-red eyes.

"Hi Ninian. Are you feeling okay?" Eliwood asked.

"Y-Yes…Thank you for your concern." She curtseyed low. "You…really shouldn't bother yourself…on my account."

"No, no." Eliwood shook his head. "Don't say that. After all, you've been through a lot. If it's anything, _I_ should be the one apologizing to you."

"Um…Thank you, Eliwood. It…It means a lot to me…" Ninian curtseyed again before leaving.

The red-haired lord gathered his thoughts. Ninian, the mysterious girl with sky-blue hair. He had saved her earlier, when he first met Lyn. And then they were reunited when they found her adrift from the shore of Valor Isle. She was soft-spoken, shy, and withdrawn. However, her dancing seemed to carry a special magic in it, a magic that seemed to come from her soul. Eliwood didn't know how she learned to be as spectacular as she was, but she certainly was an amazing girl.

"Lord Eliwood!"

Marcus's shout broke through Eliwood's reverie. He shook his head and faced the elderly paladin. "Yes, Marcus?"

"Have you decided on which girl you think you would like as a wife?"

"Marcus! You make it sound like I'm going shopping! This is an important matter! I need to think about this. I can't decide the whole future of Pherae on a whim…" Eliwood muttered, thinking hard.

"All the time you need will be given to you, milord!" Marcus replied.

"Yes, thank you…" Eliwood shook his head and walked off, mulling over the facts and his feelings. "Sigh…Why now, why now? There would have been time after this war was over…"

_---_

The next day, Eliwood staggered out of his tent, his hair tousled and his eyes bleary. "Urgh…" He leaned against one of his tent poles for support and sucked in a couple of life-giving breaths before steadying himself on his feet. Last night, he had been tossing and turning in his sleep, tormented by thoughts of who he should decide upon.

"Lord Eliwood! Have you made your decision?" Marcus walked up, his face bright and chipper in the crisp, morning air.

"Marcus…Not so loud…I really want to sleep." Eliwood mumbled, waving his hand slightly.

Marcus nodded, but he continued to stand in front of the lord, waiting patiently for Eliwood to recover all of his sense.

After the lord had sufficiently recovered from his lack of sleep, Marcus voiced his question again.

"Yes…I believe I have." Eliwood said thoughtfully.

"And who is this lucky lady?" Marcus said eagerly, although he tried not to show it.

"Well…I think I have feelings for…"

* * *

Chris: Yep. Three more chapters after this, each detailing a separate ending of the story. One will show Lyn, the other will show Fiora, and the last will be Ninian. Enjoy and don't forget to review. Yep. 

And if you don't….Well, I don't have a threat, so yeah.


	2. Chapter 2: Lyn

Chris: Argh, too many reviews! It's only beena couple of days, people! Not that I don't want you to review…

Farina: Because you want them to stoke your ego.

Chris: Yes, exactly.

**Nightmare3: **I wouldn't call this soon…But it's still an update! And good luck with Karel….You'll need it. Oh, and while you're reading this, go update Fire Emblem High. Yeah.

**Maxmagnus20019: **Glad you like it. Nice SN, by the way.

**kazekage26: **GASP! You don't like Eliwood x Lyn! OMFG! Just kidding. I really couldn't care for Eliwood…Cause yeah, he's Eliwood.

**Emblembabe: **Hope you enjoy this stuff! Well, at least the stuff that's gonna be in this chapter.

**Eladard Kikur: **Why yes, yes it would. Eliwood as a Sain would be like…Hector as a…Erk. Yeah. Heh, glad you like it!

**RLnaruhina:** Actually, I already have a Sain/Florina one-shot. Go search through my huge fic pile. It's in there somewhere. In Do You Want My Help? actually. And I read Changes. Just was too lazy to review. I liked it.

**Northernsword: **Ah…Okay. Well, Eliwood is boring. Eh…Better than Roy's supports…At least Eliwood's has some variety.

**Kobokson: **Okay. I'm continuing.

**Min the Noodle: **Yep, pretty short compared my usual length. I couldn't think of anything to fit in the first chapter. And I might have things to add for some excitement…But it depends on the couple. Chances are exciting things will be happening more to Hector's and Sain's stories than Eliwood's. And I have Harvest Moon. It's fun. And Elli is totally the best girl in that game.

**Lack Thereof: **Heh, glad you like it all. I hope you like this chapter as well! And thanks for the compliments.

**Mullenium Master: **Why yes, actually I _did_ know Ninian is a mamkute/dragon. Bet you're surprised, huh? Well, I beat the game with Eliwood and Ninian's A support. And you know what they do there? They get MARRIED. It's amazing, huh? You wouldn't think it…But they actually get married. Maybe if you got their supports you'd know this. I mean, seriously…Amazing, huh? And maybe, _just_ _maybe_, if you thought about this thoroughly, you'd realize that this story occurs _before_ they figure out Ninian is a mamkute. You know, since she's still in the army and all…

Disclaimer: I had my disclaimer in the last chapter. Bite me cause I'm not writing another one. It gets annoying.

* * *

**Chapter 2: Lyn**

"Well…I think I have feelings for…Lyn." Eliwood finished.

"Won't Lady Lyndis be excited once she hears this news! I will go tell her right away!" Marcus turned to depart, but Eliwood halted him.

"Marcus! I appreciate all of the effort you've put into this…Although it still makes me slightly nervous…But I would like to do this alone, please? As in, no involvement on your part?" Eliwood said frankly, his arms folded.

"As you wish, milord." Marcus bowed to the lord, while secretly vowing to himself to keep an eye on his young charge. "No one will bother you."

"I…am skeptical about that…" Eliwood muttered and he walked off to find Lyn. Marcus watched Eliwood depart, blinking back sudden tears. He shuddered slightly.

"Eliwood has truly grown up…It makes me so proud!" Marcus broke into tears and began sobbing, making everyone give him a wide berth…Cause you know, seeing an old, purple-haired man suddenly break down and cry is creepy.

_---_

Eliwood searched through the camp for the woman he sought, when he ran into Hector. He raised his hand in greeting to his blue-haired friend, who returned the greeting by crushing Eliwood's hand in a death grip. Eliwood shouted in pain and wrenched his hand out of Hector's grip, moaning in pain.

"God dammit, Hector! Why'd you do that?" Eliwood cried.

"Sorry, man! But I'm so nervous! Oswin's been hounding me to find a wife lately!" Hector said, wringing his hands. "It's driving me up the wall! I can't stand it anymore!"

"I know how you feel…Marcus just finished bothering me about it." Eliwood shook his head sadly. "Sheesh, relatives. Always want you to get married. Craaazy."

"So, who'd you choose?" Hector said eagerly.

"Hey, why do I have to tell you?" Eliwood asked, surprised.

"Because I'm your friend! Come on, I'll tell you who I choose when I finally decide!" Hector said eagerly.

"Fine…It's…uh, Lyn." Eliwood muttered under his breath, flushing.

"Really? She's a firecracker, Eliwood! Think you can handle her? I would have assumed that Ninian would be more to your tastes." Hector mused, looking around.

"Well, I'm sorry if I disappointed you." Eliwood said blandly. "I just happen to like Lyn more."

"Tell me why, then!" Hector said. "Don't keep your best friend waiting!"

Eliwood cocked an eye at the blue-haired lord. "You seem way too excited about all this…Why?"

"Actually…Marcus told me to ask. I really wouldn't be bugging you about your own life like this if he didn't ask." Hector gave a shrug. "But hey, now I'm interested."

Eliwood sighed sadly. "Yes, yes…Well, I can't really explain, okay?"

"Sure, sure. Tell me when you find out!" Hector clapped his friend on the back and waved him farewell. As Hector left, he was yanked to the side by Oswin and he received a very stern tongue lashing, which resulted in him being blown across the camp.

Eliwood snickered at his friend's plight and continued on his search for Lyn. He spotted the green-haired lord nearby, but just as he was about to talk to her, Eliwood was once again accosted, this time by Matthew. When Eliwood turned back to find Lyn, he saw that she had left.

Suppressing a cry of rage, Eliwood glared at Matthew. "What do you want?"

"Whoa, whoa!" Matthew held up his hands, smiling. "I'm not trying to attack you here, Lord Eliwood!"

"Yes, I know that, Matthew." Eliwood sighed. "What do you want?"

"I need to know how you figured out my seal was a fake! I thought I duplicated it completely!" Matthew asked eagerly. "I need to know these things if I'm gonna keep being a spy."

"Why would you need to know how to duplicate my family seal?" Eliwood asked, looking suspiciously at the thief.

"Uh…That's not really important right now." Matthew stammered off quickly. "What I need to know is what defect I had."

"Fine, fine….You made the family name too big. I remember the exact width and length of it. Yours was just a little too big." Eliwood said.

"Damn! I knew it was something like that!" Matthew smacked his palm with a fist. "Thanks man! I bet you next time I'll make something better!" He dashed off with his findings.

"Yeah…And I bet it still will be off…" Eliwood muttered under his breath as he walked off. "Sheesh, I can't believe for something as stupid as the name width." Eliwood quickly returned to matters at hand, however, and once again searched for the lady he loved.

And he was successful! Up to a point. He found again…Except that she was busy trying to comfort Florina from a very annoying pest. Namely Sain.

"But Lady Lyn! I did nothing more than compliment her on this fine and lovely day!" Sain protested. "Is it a crime that beauty such as hers be noticed? I think not! It is the sweat and blood right of every man to compliment whoever he feels looks marvelous at any day!"

"Think about it, Sain! We're talking about Florina here!" Lyn retorted, holding the shivering Florina in her arms. "She's scared of you!"

"Well…" Sain smiled. "I can certainly sympathize with that. I mean, what can a woman feel besides fright at the depths of my manly charm?"

"I don't think that's what she's frightened about, Sain." Lyn said, trying not to laugh at the cavalier. "She's afraid of you because you're a man."

"What?" Sain placed a hand over his heart, acting the role of the spurned lover. "Oh, dastardly gods that dare to take away my beauteous Florina from me!" He blinked his eyes and tears started to creep into them. "I would go to the ends of the world for you, Florina, and you spurn me because I am a man! If only to gain your affections, I would willingly pray to the gods to make me a woman so I can get close to you!"

Everyone stared at Sain, dumbfounded. Sain himself stopped, scratched his head, and flushed.

"Wait…That didn't come out right." The brown-haired cavalier flushed a little more. "Forget what I just said. But, o beautiful one of the orchid hair, I will never stop on my lonely quest to win your heart! I will walk through the freezing snow, the pelting rain, the harsh winds, the searing heat, and I would swim across the treacherous oceans for you!"

"Want to test that theory?" Lyn asked, a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"Uh…" Sain stalled. "Not really. But I _will_ dash through a hail of arrows to save you! You can't doubt that!"

"Fine, fine…You win on that point." Lyn sighed. "You _did_ charge into a horde of archers to save her."

"See? That only proves a fraction of my love!" Sain said dramatically and he suddenly wrenched Florina out of Lyn's grasp and kissed her fiercely on her lips.

Once again, everyone stared, dumbfounded. Except for Sain, who was having the time of his life, and Florina, who was a) too stunned, b) too surprised, c) enjoying it, or d) unconscious.

Sain released Florina from his kiss and shouted to the sky, "Victory! I, Sir Sain of Caelin, the Green Lance, have succeeded in my quest to kiss the lovely lady Florina! Now, I will begin my second quest to capture her heart! Away!" He dashed off, whooping for joy.

Lyn recovered from the whole shock of the experience and rushed to Florina's side. The orchid-haired pegasus knight stumbled dazedly around for a couple of seconds, her eyes unfocused. Lyn caught Florina before she could fall and steadied her.

"I can't believe that idiot just kissed you!" Lyn exploded. "Are you okay?" She looked concernedly at Florina.

"Uh…" Florina licked her lips. "Yeah…Yeah…I think so…"

"Boy, I can't believe that Sain! Running around and just kissing you out of the blue!" Lyn continued her tirade.

"T-Thank you, Lyn…B-But I better get to my t-tent…" Florina got out of Lyn's grip and headed for her tent, stumbling slightly. The orchid-haired pegasus knight let out a tiny little shriek of happiness and she ran off in the same direction as Sain had.

"Sigh…I definitely think Florina is getting over her head in this one." Lyn muttered.

"I agree…But Sain does have his charms." Eliwood replied, still slightly stunned about the whole scene.

"Huh?" Lyn turned around. "Oh! Eliwood! I didn't notice you! I'm sorry!" She stammered her apologies.

"That's okay, Lyn." Eliwood waved the apologies off. "Um…I actually came to you to talk about something."

"What is it?" Lyn cocked her head to the side, curious.

"Lyn…" Eliwood summoned up his courage. "I think I'm in love with you."

"Wha-?" Lyn's eyes were wide, and a subtle pink crept into her cheeks.

"Wait, wait!" Eliwood said frantically. "Please…Let me talk first. I still remember the first time we met…When you were a young girl trying to reclaim her right as Princess of Caelin."

"I…I remember that too…"

"At first…I didn't feel that much about you. But I admired your drive and courage. After all, it's hard to overcome the obstacles that were placed in your path. But you had loyal friends and allies. I would have helped if I could…But I had my own problems to worry about."

"I know."

"And then…When I heard you had been received as the rightful heir to Caelin, I was overjoyed. It was your right, after all. You deserved it." Eliwood continued speaking. "I wanted to go to Caelin then, to talk to you. But once again…Issues kept me in Pherae, unable to congratulate you or anything."

Eliwood took a deep breath, willing himself to keep talking. He needed to keep talking or else he would never be able to empty this load from his shoulders. "But…Afterwards, when I heard about the attack of Caelin…I saw that as a chance to be able to spend some…time with you. Yes, I was concerned about the well-being of your soldiers and friends, but you were foremost in my mind."

"Eliwood…"

"And…As we continued to journey…It came to me. I mean, you were not only beautiful, you were skilled in the art of warfare and could fight with the best of them. You…You were fiercely loyal to your friends, dedicated to the cause of good…And it grew from there. You were in my thoughts and dreams…I couldn't stop thinking about you. I just didn't want to say anything…Well, I always thought that there would be time _after_ this whole thing was over." He shrugged and smiled weakly. "I guess Marcus and my mother thought differently."

Lyn stared at Eliwood for a couple of seconds, saying nothing.

"Sigh…" Eliwood's shoulders slumped. "Well, thanks for listening…I guess I'll be going then." He turned to leave.

Lyn grabbed Eliwood by the shoulder and spun him around. "I…I am _not_ going to let you go." She kissed him softly on the lips, her arms wrapped around his back. She kissed him again and again before finally letting him go. "Stupid Eliwood." She lightly smacked the back of his head. "You're too considerate of other people's privacy for your own good. Once you've got someone hooked on you, you don't let them get away."

"I-I'm sorry?" Eliwood said, confused.

"Heh, if you must know…" Lyn flushed slightly. "I liked you a lot too. I don't know how I did…But maybe it's that little storybook hero in you." She poked his chest and smiled. "You better be prepared. I'm not going to be some housewife who cleans the curtains. I expect to do something."

"Don't worry…You will…" Eliwood said as he kissed Lyn.

From behind him, Matthew burst onto the scene with Hector and Marcus in tow. "Hey Eliwood! I couldn't have been the name! I made it perfectly, dammit!" He finally registered the scene and his eyes widened. "Whoa! Do I have bad timing or what?"

"Yes! My Lord Eliwood has finally chosen a wife! I'm so happy!" Marcus sniffed and tears leaked out of his eyes. "I cannot wait to write Lady Eleanora about this! She will be so pleased about this! If only Lord Elbert were here…Well, I'm sure he can sense his son's joy as well!"

"Hey Eliwood! You said you'd tell me how it felt! Come on! Don't keep me in the dark, man! I deserve to know too! I'm your friend!" Hector shouted.

Eliwood suppressed a sigh. "Well…Back to business?"

"Yes…" Lyn sighed as well and let go of Eliwood.

Eliwood turned and motioned at the three onlookers. They all rushed up quickly.

"Well…You see…It went kind of like this…" Eliwood took a deep breath.

"YAAAAAHHHHOOOOO!" He jumped for joy and dashed off, dragging Lyn along with him. And hovering in the sky above them a giant sign floated above, with the words, "LEVEL CLEARED!" on it.

_

* * *

Chris: Well, there you go. The Eliwood x Lyn ending. Hope you enjoyed it, and another ending will be coming up next. _

And as for the Sain one, for all who want to know…Part of me wants to write an ending for all the eligible females in the camp. That'd be awesome.


	3. Chapter 3: Ninian

Chris: Well, here's the next part. Enjoy! Oh, and if you're wondering, this is Ninian's ending.

**Mullenium Master: **Ah….Okay. Got it. Thanks for the compliments.

**SkyeDunhart: **Glad you like it!

**stuck-in-a-tree:** Well, here's the Ninian pairing right now! And yes, Sain and all the other girls who aren't way too old or something. Like Hannah.

**RLnaruhina: **Sure, I don't mind if you add my fics. It'd be awesome, really. Glad you liked the Sain x Florina part.

**Northernsword: **Eligible means that it's an available choice. And as for Sain, Vaida is _not_ eligible because there's an age difference (Probably of around….5-10 years) and besides, Sain and Vaida would just not…click. The first compliment Sain pays would earn around 1000 years of pain.

**Maxmagnus20019:** Glad you liked it.

**Nightmare3: **Ah….Okay. Got it. Hope it gets fixed soon. And you totally stole my line. "I hope you update faster than I do." is so my line, man. Just kidding. And here's your update.

**Meneil: **Thanks for the compliments.

**Alex: **Well, I've written more, and here it is.

**narugurlee13: **Heh, glad it made your day a little better. Well, hope you like this as well!

Disclaimer: This chapter will probably not have a lot of humor in it. This story is _romance_ first for a reason.

* * *

**Chapter 3: Ninian**

"Well…I think I have feelings for…" Eliwood paused, slightly unnerved by the look on Marcus' face. "I think I'll keep it to myself."

"But Lord Eliwood! As your retainer, I have a right to know who you will marry!" Marcus protested, but Eliwood waved him off.

"I'll tell you when I'm done, okay?" Eliwood said. "And please, _please,_ don't find some way to bother me. This is…important to me."

"I understand, milord." Marcus bowed. "Very well. I shall leave you alone for the time being."

"Good, good." Eliwood nodded and departed. "Now…Time to find her…"

_---_

"Ninian?" Nils asked sleepily, rubbing his eyes. "What's wrong?" Nils had been taking an afternoon nap when sounds from his sister disturbed him from his slumber. Rubbing his eyes again, he pushed himself off of the bed. "Ninian?"

"S-Sorry Nils…" Ninian stuttered, wiping tears from her face. "I…I…"

"What's wrong, Ninian? Why are you crying?" Nils asked, a worried look on his face. "Did you get hurt?"

"No…It's not that…" Ninian sniffed, wiping more tears off of her face. Her sky-teal hair still seemed to retain its special sheen, and her dress was perfect, as usual, but something seemed different. "I-I wasn't hurt…"

"Then what's wrong, Ninian?" Nils walked up to Ninian and sat beside her. "I'm your brother…You can tell me."

"Ohhh…" Ninian sobbed again. "It's nothing, Nils."

"Don't give me that. Something is bothering you. Tell me what it is." Nils said.

"I…I don't know if I can return to our home, Nils. I…I feel too attracted to this world…"

"Ah…" Nils nodded. "And to one person in particular, I assume."

"…" Ninian nodded silently, her tears dropping on the ground.

"Lord Eliwood?"

"Nils!" Ninian said, surprised. "I…I never said that!"

Nils nodded sagely. "Well, I'm not stupid. I've seen the looks you've given him and how you always act different when he's around."

"I-It's that obvious?" Ninian asked, her words catching in her throat. "I…I…"

"Not to everyone…But I'm your brother. I know you better than most." Nils smiled slightly. "Don't worry. If you wish to stay with him…I can't stop you. Sigh…I would have liked it if you decided to return home with me. Because, Ninian, you must remember. However much we like this land, our home is somewhere else."

"I-I know that Nils!" Ninian cried, tears still streaking down her face. "I…I won't be able to see my friends…Or our mother…I so desperately want to go home…But I can't leave Lord Eliwood alone!" The dancer continued crying, trapped between two decisions.

"Ninian…." Nils held his sister close to him. "It's okay…Stay with Eliwood…At least, when I'm at home, I'll know you are happy." He smiled. "Now, go tell him how you feel." Nils nudged his sister. "You can't let him get away from you, now that you've realized your feelings."

"T-Thank you, Nils…" Ninian smiled through her tears. "Thank you so much…" She hugged her brother tightly before dashing off. Nils watched her depart.

"I'm getting too old for this…" Nils sighed and crawled back into his bed. "Waaay too old for this." The bard closed his eyes and yawned. Soon, he was asleep.

_---_

'_Definitely **not** what I wanted…'_ Eliwood stared dismally at the commotion that had happened in the middle of the camp. Apparently, Wallace was showing off his new exercise regimen and was forcing Kent, Sain, and Wil to participate. Oswin was there as well, but that was only because Oswin wanted to prove that he could out-exercise anyone else in the camp.

While this _normally_ wouldn't be much of a distraction, today was different. Different in the fact that Wallace had corralled a couple of…'volunteers' to help him out and Eliwood just _happened_ to be standing nearby. Definitely bad luck.

"Now give me one-hundred push-ups!" Wallace roared. "See? Watch me!" The bald general began doing his push-ups, huffing as he pushed himself up. "Full battle armor! Now!"

"Why did I ever join the army…?" Wil muttered as he began doing the exercises. He would have tried to run away, but Wallace kept catching him, so he just gave up on the idea of escape.

"This is only so we can become better fighters to defend our country." Kent intoned as he did his exercises. "Although I'm certain we could do without one-hundred push-ups." The orange-haired cavalier panted as he shook his head wearily.

"I cannot believe I am doing this…" Sain replied. "If I get tired, I won't have any energy to show my full respect for everyone in this army!"

"You people don't have endurance!" Oswin yelled as he did his push-ups, doing them as easily as if he were slicing bread. "You've got to be strong!"

"I'm the brother of the Marquess of Ostia! I shouldn't have to do this!" Hector cried, one of those that had 'volunteered' to do the exercises.

Eliwood said nothing and concentrated on trying to find a way out of his predicament. He looked around. There were a few onlookers that were shaking their heads in sorrow and pity. Eliwood smiled as he thought of an idea. Because standing in the crowd of people was Serra, holding a heal staff. Thinking to himself, Eliwood finalized his plan.

"Hey Serra! Matthew's behind you and he's trying to grope you!" Eliwood shouted.

"**WHAT?**" Serra's screamed and turned, flailing her heal staff around.

While everyone was occupied with watching Serra beat the crap out of Matthew with a heal staff, Eliwood dashed off, escaping his torture and regaining his freedom. The red-haired lord looked back to see that Matthew was unconscious and that everyone else besides Oswin had already fled the scene. Eliwood mentally thanked Matthew for his sacrifice and continued to run before Wallace could chase him.

"Phew…I think I'm fine…" Eliwood chanced another look behind his back and saw that no one else was following him. Thanking Matthew mentally once again and wiping the sweat off of his face, Eliwood resumed his search for Ninian.

_---_

"Ninian?"

"Ah, yes? What is it, Canas?" The dancer looked at the purple-haired shaman.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but I must figure more out about your dancing. I've always wondered how your dancing has the ability to rejuvenate people to greater limits." Canas asked, pulling out a small notepad and pencil.

"Uh…Ah…Hmmm…" Ninian stalled. It really was just dancing, of course. Unless he meant those rings that they had found…

"What is it, Ninian? Please, this is for the pursuit of knowledge." Canas said, adjusting his monocle.

"Well, it's just dancing…" Ninian said softly.

"I understand that. But there are times when you dance that trigger…some sort of reaction. People fight stronger, faster, and tougher. I must figure out how you are able to do this." Canas said, marking down notes onto his notepad.

"Uh…" Ninian stalled again. The rings were special. They were forged with special metals and enchanted by magic users. While that wasn't so surprising in itself, the part that made Ninian nervous was that you needed to be of dragonkind in order to utilize such an item. "Well, there are these rings…" She brought out a small string on which the rings hung. The sky-haired dancer remembered when Eliwood had first seen them. His reaction to her dancing was so pleasant…Ninian blushed slightly.

"Hmm…These rings _must_ be enchanted with magic of some sort in order to improve people's abilities." Canas squinted at them. "If I may, will you let me examine them for a while?"

"W-Well, sure…" Ninian handed the rings over. She hoped that Canas wouldn't discover anything that would reveal her true identity. Ninian liked it here, acting like a human. She felt like she truly belonged in this world…And with Eliwood.

"Ah…I see…I see. Definitely magical artifacts. A different gem in each of the rings…Uh huh…Let's see…." Canas continued to scribble down notes. "Thank you very much for your help, Ninian!" He bowed slightly and returned the rings to her. "This discovery has made my day!" The shaman left to transfer his notes to his workbooks.

"Ah…" Ninian let out a sigh of relief, placing a hand over her beating heart. _'I'm safe…'_ The dancer looked around for Eliwood, and spotted the lord nearby, hiding from someone. Ninian made to raise her hand, but she stopped and lowered it. The sky-haired girl was suddenly overcome with a rush of doubt and she hid behind a tree.

'_Huh? I thought I saw Ninian around here…' _Eliwood looked around, confused. He had been hiding from Wallace, who was going around corralling everyone who had to do his exercises, when he saw a flash of blue-white. Eliwood walked forward, looking for Ninian. "Hey Ninian! Are you around there? Ninian?"

"H-Hi…Lord Eliwood." Ninian stepped out from behind the tree, twisting her white shawl around her fingers nervously. She offered a weak smile and shook slightly.

"Oh, Ninian! I've been looking all over for you!" Eliwood walked closer to the dancer, but Ninian cringed slightly and backed away. Eliwood stopped, confused. "What's wrong? If you don't want to talk to me, that's fine."

"N-No…It's…not that. Not that at all…" Ninian whispered, still nervous and scared. Her shawl was getting caught in her fingers since she was twisting it so much. Eliwood walked forward a little more and took Ninian's hands in his own. Ninian's eyes widened in shock and the dancer backed away even more, sliding her hands out of Eliwood's grip.

"P-Please…I…I…" Ninian continued backing away, until she felt the tree behind her. "I…I…" She didn't know what to say. Her insides were all twisted around and the figure of Eliwood kept confusing her. Ninian knew that she loved him, but a part of her wanted him to stay away, so she could go back to her home.

"Ninian? What's wrong?" Eliwood stepped closer.

The dancer cringed against the tree. Eliwood's face was full of concern for her, and it was overwhelming. Thoughts and reason ran willy-nilly through her mind, and she could only shake. It was like she was Florina, except all the feelings were being caused by one man and not the whole gender.

"Ninian?" Eliwood walked up to her and took her hands again. "What's wrong? Why are you so tense?" He slowly rubbed Ninian's hands in his own, feeling the soft skin along with the fabric of her shawl.

Ninian's senses exploded at the touch of Eliwood's fingers. She started to whimper, from fear or from pleasure, she didn't know. "L-Lord Eliwood…Please…" The dancer gained some control over her body again and she stopped shaking, at least for a little while. "I…I have something…something to say…"

"As do I…" Eliwood replied, still holding her soft, white hands.

"Eliwood…"

"Ninian…"

"I love you." They both spoke at the same time and stared at each other, flushing. Eliwood chuckled awkwardly and Ninian giggled. However, the feeling came back to the dancer, and she began shaking again.

"What's wrong, Ninian?" Eliwood looked at her again, worry and concern rampant on his features.

"N-Nothing…L-Lord Eliwood…" Ninian replied, but tears started falling from her eyes again. "I-I…" She sniffed and tried to stop crying, but couldn't.

"Ninian…Please tell me. Why are you crying?" Eliwood asked, his voice soft.

"Oh…Oh Eliwood…" Ninian sobbed. "My…My homeland…Would not like me marrying someone from his land. The elders…prefer to keep their country…pure…" She sniffed again. "B-But Eliwood…I l-love you so much, it breaks my heart!" Ninian buried herself in Eliwood's arms, crying.

"Ninian…" Eliwood looked down at her. He slowly stroked her hair with one of his hands, murmuring soothing words to her. "Ninian…If…If your elders do not like me marrying you, then…I will leave you alone, if you wish."

Ninian looked at him with her tearstained face. "No! Please…Please don't leave me…"

"Then…If you cannot return to your homeland, then I would be glad to make my home yours." Eliwood looked at her, a reassuring smile on his face. "Don't worry, Ninian."

"R-Really?" Ninian hiccupped. "B-Because…I…"

"Ninian…" Eliwood shushed her with a finger to her lips. Bringing her closer to him, Eliwood tipped Ninian's chin slightly, so that she was looking directly at him. "I promise." He leaned down and kissed her.

Ninian's eyes widened at contact, but she slowly closed them as she savored the feeling. Her knees grew weak and she was afraid that she might fall, ruining the moment. The sky-haired girl slowly felt herself sink, but Eliwood's arm was there, keeping her up. Ninian gasped as Eliwood broke the kiss, her heart beating even faster. Ninian looked at Eliwood again and felt herself sinking into those clear, blue eyes.

"E-Eliwood…" Ninian stuttered, her face flushed and her body shaking with adrenaline this time, not fear or nervousness.

"Don't say anything…This moment is for us and for us alone…" Eliwood leaned down and kissed her again.

* * *

Chris: There ya go. Have fun and hope you enjoyed it! Next chapter is the last! 


	4. Chapter 4: Fiora

Chris: Well, here's the last chapter! If you've enjoyed this fic, well, glad you did! If not…Eh, doesn't bother me. Now it's time for Fiora to shine!

**Lack Thereof: **Heh, well, that's why I'm doing all the pairings. So people can read their favorite ones. And about that spoiler thingy…I did play chapter 19xx…Except it's been a long time since I played it, so I totally forgot about that sequence. Oops. Anyway, glad you like it…And I never knew that guys were good at romance fics. And you meant Fiora/Eliwood, right?

**Eladard Kikur: **Ooooh…That's gotta hurt. And we'll see what the last chapter will be like…Cause even _I_ don't know! GASP!

**Alex: **Well, here it is!

**Nightmare3: **I can name at least 3 times when I used something like that! Not that it matters much…Eh, I was just joking anyway. It's every writer's and artist's right to be lazy and do absolutely nothing! And it's probably possible, but I dunno.

**RLnaruhina: **Thanks for the compliments, and I'm glad you like my fics. Makes me happy. Yep, yep. And some people might not want to be in C2's cause uh…I dunno, actually.

**F00l3A12: **Uh…Don't think so. You mean like those epilogues at the end of the game? If so, then no. Too bothersome and not really needed, actually.

**Northernsword: **Okay. That's all I have to say.

**Mullenium Master: **Yes, yes it is.

**Emilytenshi: **Glad you like it!

**Draknal: **Well, that's okay, and thanks for reviewing this chapter! And here's the next chapter, just for you! Well, not really…It's for everyone who reads it, actually.

Disclaimer: This claim is hers. Fire Emblem is not mine.

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* * *

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**Chapter 4: Fiora**

"Well…I think I have feelings for…" Eliwood looked at Marcus, who waited expectantly.

"Who is the lucky lady?" Marcus asked.

"I know who she is!" Eliwood snapped. "Sorry, Marcus…But I think I should just tell the girl that I like, okay?"

"Very well, milord. I shall be awaiting further news."

"Yes, yes…Well, time to find her…" Eliwood walked off, shaking his head sorrowfully. Truth be told, Eliwood still hadn't decided yet. They all had such endearing qualities, although Fiora stood out in his mind a little. However, he still was torn between choosing. See parents? This is why you should never tell your kids to find his/her significant other before they're ready. They go craaaazy. Well, okay, not crazy. But torn between three sweet girls! Such torture! Okay, I'm done.

_---_

Farina greeted her sister as she dismounted her pegasus. "How was the patrol, Fiora?"

"It was fine, Farina. You're going up?" Fiora brushed back her wind-tossed hair and looked at her sister, who had a big grin on her face.

"Yep! Gotta earn my pay, after all!" Farina smirked. "I noticed that you spent a little time watching one of the lords!"

"What are you implying?" Fiora's eyes narrowed.

"Oh…Nothing…" Farina said innocently. "I mean, I was just thinking about how Eliwood seems a lot nicer to us mercenaries than everyone else….And I know how much you treasure that sort of attitude. Just a thought, you know." Farina hid a grin and walked off, whistling an Ilian marching song.

Fiora glared at her sister and sighed. "Hmph. I have no idea what she's talking about." She led her pegasus to the stable and slowly brushed the majestic animal. "Sigh…Only you know how I feel about him, don't you?" Fiora patted her steed lovingly. "Well…Eliwood _is_ different…"

"H-Hi Fiora." Florina walked inside the stables, the orchid-haired pegasus knight holding a bunch of carrots. "I-I just came to feed H-Huey." Florina walked over to her pegasus and smiled as her pegasus started munching on the vegetables. "Um…F-Fiora?"

"Yes, Florina?" Fiora looked at her sister.

"U-Um…Do y-you like Eliwood?" Florina squeaked, cringing slightly. "I-I didn't really w-want to ask…But F-Farina told me to…"

"Grr…Farina…" One of Fiora's hands clenched into a fist when she thought of her frivolous, money-grubbing sister. "What she said is a lie. I don't like Eliwood…" Her fist unclenched. "Besides, he's my employer and I'm just a mercenary…It wouldn't be right." The teal-haired pegasus knight sighed. "In this world, it would never work out. Mercenaries shouldn't get in romantic relationships with their employers."

Florina nodded. "O-Okay…I-I'm sorry…sister."

"I'm sorry too, Florina." Fiora mumbled and after brushing down her pegasus one more time, she left the stables, thinking to herself.

"It's not right…I can't get married to Eliwood. Besides, he'd never consider one of mercenary stock like me." Fiora whispered to herself as she was walking. "Eliwood is nobility…Falling in love with me is one of the worst things he could do."

"I'd have to disagree with that!" Hector laughed as he walked up behind Fiora, placing a comforting hand over her shoulder. "Listen. You're a remarkable woman, Fiora. Hell, if I wasn't already searching for someone, you'd be pretty high up on my list."

Fiora slid out of the blue-haired lord's grip and bowed politely. "Thank you…Lord Hector. It means a lot…"

Hector looked at Fiora and then smirked. "Hah, I bet it does. You've got your heart set on Eliwood, don't you? Well, you keep up this pessimistic attitude, and you're going to lose him! And you know what I'm going to do?" Hector's eyes glinted. "I'm gonna hunt you down and drag you before Eliwood so you can explain why you made such a big mistake, got that?"

Fiora's eyes sparked. "What do you mean by that, Lord Hector? I didn't think that lordlings of Lycia would be so boorish! And besides, you wouldn't be able to find me anyway."

Hector nodded admiringly. "You've got a lot of honor and spirit, Fiora. Eliwood treasures those qualities, you know. Don't want to let him go to some other girl, do you?" He patted Fiora on the side. "Don't worry. Eliwood will take your feelings to heart. He won't reject you because you're a mercenary." His lecture done, Hector spun and turned towards the stables. "Oh, and that threat about dragging you back was a joke! Don't take it so hard!"

"I…see…You certainly have a strange sense of humor…" Fiora muttered. The teal-haired pegasus knight smiling as she thought of appropriate payback for the way he had treated her. "Going to stables to speak to Florina?"

Hector froze. "What are you talking about?" He let out a fake-sounding laugh. "I just want to take a ride around the country."

"Hmm…" Fiora smiled. "Well, some dangerous things can happen when people ride around the country. Like…outraged sisters that would seek revenge if you ever did something bad to their pegasus knight sister. You understand what I'm saying?"

"Yeah, yeah! I'll watch my back!" Hector shouted back and continued stomping towards the stables. "Well played, Fiora, well played!"

"Well played yourself, Lord Hector." Fiora said and headed towards where she had seen Eliwood last. Hector and her sisters were right. This time, she would have to break the standards and confess her feelings. After all, one such as Eliwood deserved that much. He was…special.

_---_

"Gah! I still can't decide!" Eliwood groaned to himself as he walked through the army camp, racking his brain. The red-haired lord looked around in anguish. He needed to find some place to think. Some place that was silent. But it was the beginning of a new day, and everyone was getting ready for the journey ahead. There were sounds of sparring, magic exploding, the smell of breakfast, and just way too many other distractions for Eliwood to concentrate properly.

"Oh, Lord Eliwood!" Fiora spotted him and walked over, waving.

"Oh, hi Fiora." Eliwood looked up at the teal-haired pegasus knight. "Are you feeling well?"

"Of course!" Fiora nodded. "Um…I have something to tell you…"

"I-I'm sorry…But can you please tell me later? I need some time to think…Think about something important." Eliwood said regretfully. "I don't mean to say that you don't calm me down, but I just need some peace and quiet right now."

"Oh…I understand." Fiora mumbled and she was about to turn away, when an idea hit her. "Um…Lord Eliwood?"

"Yes?" He looked at her and the pegasus knight felt herself starting to blush.

"Uh…Perhaps you would like to fly on my pegasus with me? Maybe you can find the peace and quiet in the sky?" Fiora offered, looking hopefully at the lord.

"Yes…Yes, that would be nice." Eliwood smiled tiredly at Fiora. "Thank you very much. I really appreciate it."

"It's my pleasure…" Fiora bowed and took Eliwood towards the stables, holding his hand. Fiora looked resolutely ahead and hoped that Eliwood didn't notice the slight blush that was creeping into her cheeks.

"Fiora…You have nice, soft hands…Did you know that?" Eliwood said distractedly, still too involved in his problem to restrain himself from saying stupid things.

"O-Oh…Uh, t-thank you, Lord Eliwood." Fiora stuttered, her blush creeping to a deeper shade of pink. "T-Thank you…"

_---_

When they reached the stables, Eliwood was a little more aware of his surroundings. "So…Uh…Are you sure your pegasus will let me ride him?" He eyed animal warily, small scenes of him falling off and smashing into the ground spinning in his eyes.

"Of course he will, won't you?" Fiora smiled and rubbed the pegasus's side. The pegasus let out a contented snort and nudged Fiora with his nose. "See? He's nice. He'll let you ride."

"Well, okay." Eliwood paused behind the pegasus. "Thank you for doing all of this. You really don't need to take me up to the sky."

"No, it's my pleasure…" Fiora said, trying to stop her emotions from running into her voice. He didn't need her confession right now…After all, he had a lot of things on his mind. "Well, do you know how to mount a pegasus?"

"Yes, my parents taught me with some of the pegasus's that were brought from Ilia at times." Eliwood said, smiling slightly. "I've never flown before, however."

"There's always a time to try something new." Fiora remarked and thought about how ironic it sounded, since it applied to her as well. Fiora felt Eliwood mount as well. "Okay, now hold yourself to me so you don't fall off. The beginning of the flight is the hardest."

"Yes, sir!" Eliwood said jokingly and wrapped his arms around Fiora's lithe waist. Fiora had to control herself and not sink into those nice, comforting, warm arms. Regaining her composure, she stroked her pegasus and nudged on the reins.

"Okay, let's go!" Fiora said and her pegasus shot out of the stable, running on the grass in order to build enough momentum to gain flight. Eliwood held on tightly to Fiora and Fiora felt her face heating up again. And after a couple of more minutes, her pegasus lifted himself in the air and beat his feathered wings.

"Wow!" Eliwood said, his eyes twinkling with happiness. "I know I'm just a passenger…But this feels so exhilarating! I can only imagine what it feels for you, flying in the sky with only the clouds to keep you company! This is amazing!"

"Just like you…" Fiora couldn't help saying that and fervently hoped that Eliwood hadn't noticed it.

"Huh, what was that?" Eliwood asked, the roar of the rushing air muffling that words that Fiora had said.

"Nothing, nothing!" Fiora replied, careful to look forward and keep her mind on the flying, and not on the considerate, handsome, strong man that was behind her. The man that had treated her with all the respect due to a family member…The one that had said that he treated everyone as if they were all his friends. So unlike those that had just paid her and laughed behind her back. So unlike those that had tried to make her theirs, through the use of money or force. So unlike all of them…

"Ah….I feel like I can think now…" Eliwood said and closed his eyes, thinking. He softly placed his head on Fiora's back. "Thank you…"

"No thanks are needed…Eliwood…" Fiora said and carefully guided her pegasus, reveling in the feeling of comfort and joy that all sprung from just one man. Just one man who cared…

_---_

"So, didja tell him?" Farina asked eagerly as Fiora stepped inside their tent. "Come on, tell me! I'm your sister, you know!"

"Hmph. As a matter of fact…" Fiora looked to the side. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Aw, come on!" Farina let out a snort. "Stop denying it. You like him! Now go tell him already!" She placed her hands on her hips. "You're making Florina really worried about you!"

"What? Really?"

"Well, yeah!" Farina said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "She's our sister! Of course she's going to be worried when her sister is in love and keeps denying it!"

"Fine, fine!" Fiora returned, glaring at Farina. "I didn't have a chance to tell him, okay? I didn't want to bother him. He looked too distraught to have to worry about my problems."

"God, you are such a sissy! Just go out and tell him!" Farina shouted.

"Hey, I don't need your help with _my_ life!" Fiora retorted.

"Like hell you don't!" Farina scoffed. "You haven't been true to yourself every time you've talked to him!"

"What are you talking about? And while we're on the subject, _you_ haven't too true to yourself either!" Fiora poked Farina, her eyes flashing.

"What do you mean by that?" Farina yelled.

"I mean by the way you're looking at Kent! Don't act like you don't have feelings for him!"

"Well, fine! So what if I do! At least I can admit it to myself!"

"Admit it to yourself! Hah! Then why haven't you told him yet?"

"B-Because…Hey, this isn't about me! I'll tell Kent when I'm good and ready! You, on the other hand, have been keeping it to yourself since like…forever!"

"Um…Excuse me…" Eliwood poked his head inside. "Sorry if I'm interrupting anything."

"No, not at all!" Farina said pleasantly, glaring daggers at her sister and drilling a finger into Fiora's side.

"How can we help you, Lord Eliwood?" Fiora asked, slowly grinding the heel of her boot into Farina's toes.

"Uh…Fiora…Can I talk to you for a little while? Please?" Eliwood stepped into the tent.

"Well, I…uhh…" Fiora started.

"She'd love to!" Farina pushed her sister towards Eliwood. "Isn't that right, sister?"

"Fiora doesn't have to if she doesn't want to." Eliwood said.

"Ah…No, no, it's no trouble at all…" Fiora replied and stepped outside with Eliwood. The teal-haired pegasus knight stood in front of Eliwood, her hands clasped behind her back. She shifted nervously. "So…Uh…What did you want to talk about?"

"Fiora…I've been thinking…" Eliwood rubbed the back of his neck unconsciously. "Well, I'm sure you know that. What I was thinking about…Was about which girl I liked the most…"

Fiora felt her heart flutter slightly. "I…Uh…I see." She stuttered, growing more and more nervous. Her heart was racked with indecisions. What if he said he liked someone else? Then she would have been too late…

"When you let me ride with you on your pegasus…I came to a decision…" Eliwood started. "You see…"

Fiora's eyes widened. She would not listen to him say that he liked another girl without telling him about her feelings first! It was now or never. _'Farina! Now…Now I need your spirit!'_

"Eliwood!"

"What?" Eliwood looked confused.

"Eliwood…" Fiora stepped forward, finally letting her emotions run free. "I…I love you, Eliwood." Her hands came out from behind her back and she slowly grasped Eliwood's hands. "I love you, Eliwood! Ever since you first welcomed me into the army…You have a different attitude from everyone else! You treat everyone the same…You don't have any prejudices against mercenaries like me. You gave me the respect that I never thought I would have. You cared for me when I thought no one would…" Fiora sniffed and she felt tears grow in her eyes. "Eliwood…You've been so kind to me…So caring…I…I…" Fiora let Eliwood's hands drop out of hers. "But…I'm just a mercenary and you're a lord…I…I can't think that you would like me over anyone else. I'm just a commonplace mercenary…" Fiora sniffed again. "I…I'd better go!" She turned to leave, but Eliwood gripped her hand.

"Fiora!"

"Leave me alone! I finally said how I feel, okay? But…But I just can't work! You couldn't love someone like me…" Fiora cried, the tears running freely now.

"Fiora! Listen to me! I was going to say…I was going to say that I'm in love with _you_!" Eliwood said urgently, still holding onto Fiora's hand.

"W-What?" Fiora stopped struggling and turned to face Eliwood. "Y-You can't mean that…"

"I said it and I mean it!" Eliwood said. "I'm in love with you, Fiora. With you, and only you."

Hearing those words broke whatever barriers Fiora had left. She sunk into Eliwood's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Eliwood pulled Fiora close to him, holding her comfortingly. He kissed her on her hair and slowly ran his hand up and down Fiora's back.

"E-Eliwood…" Fiora sniffed and tried to swallow her tears. "Thank you…Thank you so much…"

"There is no need to thank me. My love for you requires no thanks…" Eliwood said.

Fiora looked up at Eliwood, her eyes still teary. She sniffed and looked at the man who treated her like a human being. The man that cared for her like a friend. The man that had protected her from death.

Fiora blinked out her tears and kissed him fiercely on the lips, all of her pent-up passions finally exploding out of her. Fiora kissed the red-haired lord again and again. Eliwood was just so different from the others…

Eliwood was the one who loved her…and she loved him back.

* * *

Chris: Well, there we go! Hope you liked this story, and the others will be coming. The next one will probably feature Hector, Erk, or Sain, so go read it when I post! 


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